EFTPoS, BEFORE AND AFTER; RETAILER REACTION

EFTPoS (electronic fund transfer at point of sale) seen as a potential development in the 1970s, increasingly became a realistic proposition during the 1980s. In 1985, Eftpos UK Ltd, a joint endeavour by banks and building societies, was established to develop a unified clearing system. In advance of national introduction, three cities, Edinburgh, Leeds and Southampton, were chosen to pilot the Eftpos UK Ltd system. These pilot schemes began in late 1989. This article presents survey findings from the Edinburgh pilot scheme. Retailer response was sought before and after the trial to ascertain changing perceptions. The results throw an interesting light on the evolving attitudes of retailers to the system and indicates areas where future marketing of EFTPoS systems should be modified.